Lifestyle

That Time My Family Got a Video Camera and We All Freaked Out

October 6, 2016

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Without trying to jump any guns, there are just 11 weeks until Christmas (!!) And even less until all of my sisters are reunited again. I wanted to do something special this year for our annual holiday reunion, so we partnered with Legacybox to pull it off (and scored a huge discount for all of you, too, at the bottom of the post!)

A few weeks ago, I snuck over to my parents’ house and dug through hundreds of old home videos finding the best ones. While videos seem so instant and plentiful now (I probably have as many videos of Greta and Faye on my phone as there are of my entire childhood), my mom had a tupperware bin of VHS tapes and those smaller mini tapes of my sisters and I filming our own video shorts and skits, Christmas mornings, our family Olympics, how we bunkered down in the basement to prepare for Y2K, the time we borrow our friends’ cheerleading uniforms and pretended to be a part of the squad (oy! haha!) and even the first time we saw the ocean. But maybe the clip that started it all (and the one that definitely makes Chris laugh the hardest) is when our family got a video camera for the first time.

It was apparently a major life event, and one I’m really grateful for. All of these memories we were able so successfully recover and preserve thanks to Legacybox.

Legacybox preserves any format of outdated memories, from VHS tapes to Super 8 film, digitally so you can relive them, again and again. Which is exactly what I wanted since not only do we no longer have a VCR to play VHS tapes (do you? do they still make VCRs?), but also the film that has sat in the tupperware for the past 25 years, desperately needs preserving–this is my childhood!

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How it works is, Legacybox sends you a kit that you fill with any formats in your collection. The kit includes a guide, barcodes to attach to each photo/video to track it, round-trip shipping, crush proof box, and personal concierge so you can talk to an expert any time.

legacybox

And in a couple weeks, with frequent updates through email letting you know the progress, you get back all of the originals with DVDs and digital files that will surely make us all cry and cry-laugh when we’re together in a couple months–I can’t wait.

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This is the perfect gift for anniversaries (my parents’ 36th is next week!), Christmas (throw in a box of kleenex) or just an anytime thing to do for your personal history. Click HERE to get your Legacybox for a deep discount! First 25 people to use the code LOVE at checkout will receive 40% off their order! Offer expires 11/15.

This post is sponsored by Legacybox. 

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What do you think?

  1. amy says:

    I LOVE every minute of this. It’s like YOU dressed up a five snl characters for the video. Priceless. God love your mother. This is the best.
    Thank you for sharing it with all of us. So great.

  2. Whitney says:

    Oh my gosh, this is the funniest thing ever!!!

  3. Jill says:

    I could watch this OVER AND OVER!!! The first sister who gets up and starts dancing in front of the camera!!! DYING!!! You guys all look alike! Its crazy!

  4. Kimberly says:

    Oh my word! Everyone just spontaneously danced!! Like immediately!! No one in your family must be very shy!!!! That was awesome!!!

  5. abby says:

    OH MY GOSH that video is hilarious!!!!

  6. Linda P. says:

    Love this and can’t wait to do ours!

  7. The last VCR was just manufactured a month or so ago. I heard a story on NPR :)

  8. Nadine says:

    Thank you for sharing this video…it was so heartwarming. Totally made me smile.

  9. Lindsay says:

    Oops, sorry. You answered that in the post!

  10. Lindsay says:

    Did they send back the original tapes or photos? Guessing they do, but you never know.

  11. JoniB says:

    For my parents 50th wedding anniversary we had the Super 8 film of their wedding moved to VHS. Now it seems that is also out of date. Since it has no sound it would be great if we could add a song to go along with the digital re-do. Do you know if Legacy does that?

  12. Cindy says:

    You look like your sweet mama. :)

    Sweet video, thanks for sharing!

  13. Christine says:

    Oh that video is amazing!

  14. Jeanna says:

    Wow, you kids really favor your Mom :)

  15. Fiona says:

    Can’t think what the reaction might have been if the announcement was that you were getting a brother!!! Sweet family! What a lovely mum!

  16. Lindsay says:

    OMG that is the best ever!!!!!!!!!! We got a VCR one year as the family gift and we all screamed! So funny.

  17. Joellyn says:

    That video is GOLD!! So I’d like to know… which one are you?

  18. Lindsey says:

    P.S. My hubby works at a community TV station, so we are fortunate that he could digitize all of my home videos at work. This is the BEST gift for parents and siblings–the best thing you can do is get multiple copies. Enjoy!

  19. Lindsey says:

    This needs to go viral. What a hoot! Thanks so much for sharing, this made my day!

  20. Mara Smith says:

    Oh my. That almost felt like a skit from SNL. Hilarious!

    It’s too bad they couldn’t edit out that awful screeching sound.

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